ERIE, Pa. -- The Mercyhurst men's hockey team returns to the Mercyhust Ice Center for the first time since Nov. 22 to host Atlantic Hockey foe Sacred Heart on Friday and Saturday.
Friday's contest is slated for 7:05 p.m. while Saturday's puck drop will be at 5:05 p.m.
LAKER NOTES
THIS WEEK'S GAMES
The Lakers look to bounce back from a pair of losses to Holy Cross last weekend. Sacred Heart is coming off a bye week. The Pioneers split a pair of games with Bentley Dec. 28 & 29.
The teams will square off Friday and Saturday at the Mecryhurst Ice Center. Friday's contest is set for 7:05 p.m. with Saturday's puck drop at 5:05 p.m.
Mercyhurst lead the all-time series between the two teams 30-23-5. The Lakers hold an 18-10-2 advantage at home.
LAST TIME OUT
The Lakers dropped a pair of games on the road at Holy Cross. Mercyhurst fell 4-0 on Friday before dropping a 7-2 decision on Saturday.
James Anderson and
Gueorgui Feduolov each scored for the Lakers on Saturday.
The Pioneers are coming off a bye week. They split a pair of games with Bentley on Dec. 28 & 29.
YOUTH MOVEMENT
Mercyhurst has just seven upperclassmen and has a roster with 11 freshman and eight sophomores.
The Lakers have claimed a pair of AHA Rookie of the Week honors in
Ashton Stockie and
Khristian Acosta.
Six freshman have scored their first collegiate goal this season.
A pair of sophomores lead the Lakers in scoring in forwards
Steven Ipri and
Dalton Hunter.
Ipri has a team-high 15 points on seven goals and eight assists.
HONOR ROLL
Mercyhurst players have been well represented on the Atlantic Hockey awards lists.
Ashton Stockie Rookie of the Week (Oct. 8)
Khristian Acosta Rookie of the Week (Dec. 3)
Dalton Hunter Player of the Month (October)
MAN ADVANTAGE
Mercyhust has used the power-play to their advantage cashing in on 14-of-79 opportunities on the year.
The Lakers rank 36th in the NCAA for power play percentage with a conversion rate tof .177.
Eight different Mercyhurst players have recorded a power play points and six different Lakers have power play goals.
James Anderson,
Dalton Hunter and
Steven Ipri each have netted three power play tallies on the year.
The Lakers 14 total power play goals ranks 23rd in NCAA Division I.
CARDIAC KIDS
The Lakers have had a flare for the dramatic this season with all of their victories coming by one goal in the final minute of regulation or in overtime.
The Lakers started the season with a 3-2 win at Arizona State scoring the game-winner with 19 seconds to play.
Mercyhurst has scored three overtime game winners against St. Lawrence, Bentley and AIC.
The comeback bid was on display again against Robert Morris as the Lakers scored with 2:43 remaining in the third period to knot the game at 2-2.
The overtime experience could come in handy as Mercyhurst and Sacred Heart have played 10 overtime games in their history. The Lakers are 2-3-5 in overtime against the Pioneers.
EXPERIENCE IN NET
Despite the youth up and down the roster, Mercyhurst brings back a wealth of experience between the pipes. The Lakers bring back a junior and a pair of seniors between the pipes.
Redshirt senior
Garrett Metcalf has made 11 starts for the Lakers making 334 saves and posting a 3.65 goals against average and .900 save percentage.
Mercyhurst also brings back junior
Stefano Cantali. Cantali has made the five starts for the Lakers making 120 saves and posting a .839 save percentage.
Senior
Colin DeAugustine has made one start and three relief appearances this season making 96 saves.
BEHIND THE BENCH
Head coach
Rick Gotkin enters his 32nd year behind the bench for the Lakers. He is fresh off a contract extension prior to the season.
Gotkin is the longest-tenured coach in Division I and currently ranks second among active coaches in wins with 563.
He ranks in the top 20 in career wins and has guided the Lakers to six NCAA appearances.
FRIENDSHIP FOUR
The Lakers have been selected to compete in the 2020 Friendship Four in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Mercyhurst is one of three Atlantic Hockey Schools to compete in the 2020 version of the Friendship Four. It is the first time that Atlantic Hockey members will compete in Belfast. Army and Sacred Heart will also be in Northern Ireland. Quinnipiac will round out the field.
The opening night matchups have been announced and Mercyhurst will take on ECAC opponent Quinnipac on the opening night. Time and game order is still to be determined.
